Friday, 23 June 2017

I was out at
6 am hoping to get a good shot of the Bald Eagles and as I looked through the
curtains of our motorhome I saw that one was perched out on a dead branch on
the opposite side of the river.

Moments
later and I was dressed and camera in hand and… the eagle was gone!

In its place
was a small falcon which I now know to be an American Kestrel so not all lost!

Had our
breakfast and peering out of the window I noticed the eagle come back to the
tree. Quick as a flash I had it in the can! Cracking bird in great light.

We left Silt
at 07:30 as I needed to get to the next site for an appointment and drove east
of IS70 to the next KOA at Central City Denver West.

The road
cuts right through the high mountains of the Rockies and we passed all the
skiing areas such as Aspen, Vail & Breckenridge and cut through Vail Pass
at 10,666 feet followed by the Eisenhower tunnel at 11,158
ft and a length of 1.697 mi (2.73 km) eastbound.

We arrived at the KOA which is at 8510 feet
and I can certainly feel it as my mouth is always dry and I’m out of breath
quickly.

Had some great views of a pair of
Black-chinned Hummingbirds and got a few nice shots of the male bird. Also had
a Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon’s warbler), a Dark-eyed Junco and several
Golden-mantled Ground Squirrels.

Last of the steak for tea and have now
checked in online for our flights back to London Heathrow tomorrow evening.